Director of ‘Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence,’ Caught With Illegal Guns, Sentenced To Prison.

Why is it that so many anti-gun activists seek to strip the little people of their guns while they have their own guns, often illegally possessed? Is it a “do as I say, not as I do” thing, or is it more ominous where they want the good people disarmed so the criminal element can operate with impunity?

Just this week, Michael Rodriguez, 49, the now-former director of “Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence” was sentenced to ten years in state prison following his arrest last summer on drug and gun charges.

He took a plea bargain in the case to avoid more prison time.

Seriously.  Why do these anti-gun activists have guns around if guns truly are worthless for defensive purposes?  Hypocrites might be hypocrites but they aren’t stupid. They understand the simple truth that the only thing that stops bad people with evil in their hearts is a good guy with a gun.

It is like the lovely Rochester, NY Mayor Lovely Warren who had illegal guns at home as one of the Michael Bloomberg “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” members. Or California State Senator Leland Yee, the consummate gun control advocate pol convicted of gun running.  Or multiple “anti-violence activists” felons in court on the same day in Chicago on felony gun charges while they were out on bail on earlier felony gun arrests.

Here’s the latest on Mr. Rodriguez from Mid-Hudson News:

GOSHEN – The director of a New York City-based anti-violence program has been sentenced in Orange County Court to 10 years in state prison on his guilty plea on felony drug and conspiracy charges.

Michael Rodriguez, 49, of Yonkers is the director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence, an anti-violence program that received government money and works in the Bronx to promote safer streets.

He will also face five years of post-release supervision, forfeit a car and $165,000 as ill-gotten proceeds of his crimes.

Middletown City Police had engaged in a two-year investigation into cocaine trafficking in around the city allegedly committed by Angelica Rodriguez, also known as ‘Jelly,” 49, of Otisville. The Orange County Drug Task Force assisted in the investigation.

Court-ordered eavesdropping helped crack the case when it was discovered that the same suppliers of cocaine who were providing Angelica Rodriguez and her co-conspirators with cocaine to sell, were also supplying narcotics to those in the City of Port Jervis whose police department was also involved in the investigation.

Michael Rodriguez was accused of supplying cocaine to narcotics dealers in Middletown and Port Jervis and possessing two illegal handguns.

A July 2023 warrant search of his Yonkers residence yielded over 1.5 kilos of cocaine, more than $165,000 in cash, digital scales, a money counter, two unlicensed guns, a vacuum sealer, and jewelry estimated at some $50,000.

It is not know what relationship if any Michael Rodriguez is to Jelly Rodriguez though they were clearly co-conspirators according to the news reports. For what it’s worth, he had a great tax-payer-funded gig. He couldn’t give up the criminal lifestyle, and now he’s going to enjoy prison life for the next several years.

NRA Claims LaPierre Won’t be on Payroll After Resignation, Has ‘Chronic Lyme Disease’

Wayne LaPierre won’t receive any money from the National Rifle Association (NRA) once he steps down at the end of the month, the group’s lawyers claim in a new filing.

After LaPierre announced his resignation on the eve of the group’s corruption trial, New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D.) office objected to the NRA using the unexpected move as part of its defense during the corruption trial that began on Monday. In a letter to Judge Joel M. Cohen, she demanded the NRA answer a series of questions about what relationship the group would have with its leader of more than 30 years once he officially left at the end of the month. The NRA’s outside lawyers, Brewer Attorneys and Counselors, responded by arguing LaPierre’s resignation undermined her case and insisted LaPierre would not receive compensation from the group after he leaves.

“After January 31, 2024, payments under the 2021 Employment Agreement will cease. There are no superseding employment or post-employment agreements with Mr. LaPierre,” Noah Peters wrote in a letter to Judge Cohen. “Mr. LaPierre will not undertake any other employment, independent contracting, consulting or other work for the NRA or any affiliate, vendor or contractor[.]”

The NRA’s claims come as it faces down a civil suit from James that could see LaPierre and other leaders barred from working at non-profits in the state as well as repay the group money it is accused of diverting to personal expenses. She is also seeking to have a court-appointed overseer in charge of the NRA. One of the accusations at the core of the case against the NRA is that it kept paying other executives, such as former treasurer Woody Phillips, after they left the group. But LaPierre’s alleged impropriety has been the main focus of the case. So, whether he will keep getting NRA money after he steps down could be an important consideration in the jury’s decision on if further reforms are needed.

To that end, Peters said, “Mr. LaPierre has no arrangements or agreements with the NRA or its affiliates regarding his resignation, severance, licensing, or consulting,” and he “holds no other position with the NRA, nor will he hold a position after his final day.”

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Can you say: “Replacement Migration“?
I thought you could

Biden Admin Has Allowed 5 Million Illegal Aliens Into the Nation — Outpacing Yearly U.S. Births

The immigration crisis has worsened as a result of President Joe Biden’s reckless open border policies and incompetence to do anything about it.

Under the Biden Administration, more than five million illegal migrants have crossed into the United States— outpacing the nation’s annual birth rate.

Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) is blaming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for releasing at least 85 percent of illegal aliens into the U.S. without vetting them due to the administration’s Catch and Release program. Most of these immigrants will be given work permits— taking away vital work opportunities for American citizens.

“All told, DHS numbers indicate that well over three million inadmissible aliens have been released into our country on Secretary Mayorkas’s watch. Factor in the 1.8 million known gotaways, and that’s roughly the population of the state of South Carolina,” Green said, suggesting that Mayorkas has allowed more illegal migrants into the nation from 2021 through 2023 than the number of babies born annually in the U.S.— which is fewer than four million.

“In Fiscal Year 2013, according to [the] DHS’s own numbers, the Obama administration detained 82 percent of illegal aliens from the moment they were encountered until their case was decided, and another nine percent were held for at least some portion of that time,” Green continued. “In Secretary Mayorkas’ first year on the job, that 82 percent number dropped to just ten percent. Illegal aliens not detained at all jumped from nine percent in FY 2013 to 64 percent in FY 2021.”

Green’s comments come as billionaire Elon Musk issued a warning to New York City residents after students were forced to attend remote classes as their school was used to house illegal migrants.

In a tweet, Musk warned Americans that illegal aliens will soon come for American homes as schools, shelters, and hotel rooms become overwhelmed.

“This is what happens when you run out of hotel rooms. Soon, cities will run out of schools to vacate. Then they will come for your homes,” Musk wrote.

The former Twitter CEO was responding to a LibsofTikTok account post featuring a video that showed illegal migrants exiting a yellow school bus to James Madison High School in Brooklyn.

Earlier this week, Mayorkas visited the U.S-Mexico border, calling on the Biden Administration to approve billions of dollars in supplemental funding to transport illegal aliens over the southern border.

He even went as far as claiming the DHS is enforcing the law despite millions of border crossers coming into the U.S. daily.

“Some have accused [the] DHS of not enforcing our nation’s laws. This could not be further from the truth,” Mayorkas said.

The Supreme Court has held that the Second Amendment protects arms in common use for lawful purposes. But what does the phrase “in common use for lawful purposes” actually mean?

The anti-gunners want to define “in common use” very narrowly to mean only the actual firing of a gun in self-defense. They argue that because firearms are rarely fired in self-defense, they aren’t “in common use” and, thus, can be banned. That’s a trap and one we must work hard to avoid falling into. Firearms are prolific in America and are commonly used every day for countless lawful purposes beyond the actual firing of a gun in self-defense.

Firearms Are “Used” To Deter Bad People From Doing Bad Things

Let’s begin with a very basic principle: the “use” of a firearm extends beyond firing a gun in self-defense. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects “arms ‘in common use at the time’ for lawful purposes like self-defense.” Self-defense is simply an illustration of a type of “lawful purpose”; it is not the only lawful purpose of a firearm as the anti-gunners would like the lower courts to find.

But even in the self-defense arena, firearms are commonly used as a deterrent (i.e., brandishing) without being fired. In the 2021 National Firearms Survey, Professor William English of Georgetown University found that in 81.9% of defensive gun uses, the gun is not fired.

A police officer patrolling Times Square may never fire his handgun at a perpetrator, but its mere presence helps ward off potential criminal activity. The same can be said for the firearm that rests on your nightstand, which acts to deter a criminal from attempting to burglarize your home.

Think of a firearm like a fire extinguisher. A fire extinguisher is in “use” merely by being present in the home. A homeowner does not need to depress the handle of a fire extinguisher to put out a grease fire to “use” a fire extinguisher. Similarly, you would never argue that a life insurance policy isn’t in “use” because the insured is still living. Or that a homeowner insurance policy was not being used because no claim for a loss had yet been submitted. Americans purchase firearms, fire extinguishers, and insurance policies for the same reason – as a means of protection just in case. Contrary to the arguments advanced by the anti-gunners, a firearm is being “used” for self-defense even when it has never been fired.

Thus, the first item we can add to the list of lawful purposes for which Americans use their guns is the two-sided coin of self-defense: either firing in self-defense or merely keeping (or brandishing if needed) a gun as a deterrent to prevent against future harm.

Firearms Are “Used” For Hunting, To Prevent Animal Attacks, And for Pest Control

The “use” of firearms is not restricted to self-defense against violent criminals intending to do us harm. Firearms are also used for hunting, for example. Whether it’s big game, small game, varmints, birds, trophies, or simply sustenance, hunting is both a sport and a valuable means of obtaining sustenance engaged in by millions of Americans across the country. And hunters use a wide variety of firearms. Whether it’s a modern firearm such as an AR-15, a 30-06 Springfield, or an older firearm such as a black powder musket, hunters employ many different types of guns.

Another important lawful use of firearms concerning hunting is the prevention of animal attacks. I have written more comprehensively about this elsewhere, but the danger of animal attacks was top of mind for our Founding Fathers who drafted the Second Amendment. This is especially important for people who live in remote places in the American West where wild, dangerous animals roam free.

Relatedly, many American gun owners today use their firearms for pest control: pest control not only preserves one’s land and livestock, but it may also become necessary to prevent a violent attack. Whether it’s coyotes, feral hogs, prairie dogs, rats, groundhogs, or crows, pest control can come in many forms. Packs of feral hogs demonstrate not just the necessity of semiautomatic weapons but large capacity magazines as well: feral hogs are extremely fast and can be overwhelming, and as a result, modern firearms and capacities are necessary to keep them under control.

Firearms Are “Used” For Sport In Competitions, To Train, And By Civilian Law Enforcement

Shooting competitions have a long and storied history in American culture, and they are yet another way Americans lawfully use their firearms. Examples abound: the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC); the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), fast draw competitions, the Camp Perry National Matches, the Police Pistol Combat competitions, and the Civilian Marksmanship Program, to name a few. There are also competitions across the country for minors to acquaint them with firearms and their proper usage.

Another use of firearms is firearm training. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has specifically said in Ezell v. City of Chicago (2017) that the Second Amendment protects a right to train with firearms. Firearms training is another lawful use of firearms in the United States.

Relatedly, firearms are “used” by civilian law enforcement, which includes civilians who might be deputized into service for a variety of reasons. It’s not unusual for citizens to sometimes be deputized as a reservists to help protect their town—such deputization is necessary in wide-ranging areas with little police presence.

History and Craftsmanship

Historical shooting activities are another use of firearms in the United States. There are many groups that engage in Revolutionary War and Civil War reenactments that use many types of historical firearms and replicas. We see an example of this every Sunday during the NFL season when the New England Patriots score a touchdown; the Patriots Militia fire their muskets at Gillette Stadium in their Revolutionary War garb.

While some people are interested in history, others enjoy gunsmithing and craftsmanship. Americans engage in gunsmithing as a hobby or even professionally, and many others also like to make their own firearms, whether modern or historical. Sometimes, you can use weapon parts kits or even 3-D printing to accomplish those goals. There are also all sorts of experimentation and improvement that go on with firearms, such as designing new cartridges, chambers, or other things. People also customize their firearms and even use them as home décor above the mantle and throughout their homes.

When it comes to Second Amendment analysis, we must remember that firearms are commonly used by Americans for lawful purposes far beyond the rare occasion when someone fires a gun in self-defense. The anti-gunners are working hard to define “in common use” narrowly to further restrict our rights to keep and bear arms. So, next time you hear the phrase “in common use,” make sure to remember the myriad ways Americans use their firearms in the modern age.

Notice there’s nothing about diversity, equity, inclusion, or climate?
Or, as a comment notes:
I suspect that the pollsters have told the WH that DEI has become a losing issue especially among ethnic whites, and the word has gotten out to tone down the rhetoric during this election season. I think it would be best to judge the new CNO by what she does and not what she says.


The CNO Stated Her Priorities

 

Christian school in heartland to arm, train staff amid concern with ‘threats’ coming ‘on a regular basis’
The superintendent of a private Iowa school said arming certain staffers was a ‘necessary step’ in light of tragedy unfolding in schools

“The staff who have been selected and trained will remain anonymous, and with God’s help this layer of protection will never need to be deployed. We expect no changes to the day to day experiences of students and staff,” the superintendent of Siouxland Christian School, located in Sioux City, Lindsay Laurich said in a letter to the school community last week, which was provided to Fox News Digital.

The school is not detailing how many staff members will be armed while on campus, or their identities, “in order to protect the staff who are taking this courageous responsibility,” Laurich told Fox News Digital. She added that the school had been considering the policy for a year before the official announcement last week.

“I would just add that we have been working on this plan for over a year. However, we felt that this was a necessary step that was needed for our school community,” Laurich said.

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Missouri: Committee Hearing Public Transit Self-Defense Bill

On Tuesday, the House General Rules Committee will hear House Bill 1708, to ensure law-abiding citizens are not stripped of their Second Amendment rights when utilizing public transit.  Please click here to file witness forms to support HB 1708. 

House Bill 1708 removes the prohibition on carrying firearms for self-defense on public transit property and in public transit vehicles. Additionally, HB 1708 allows an individual to transport an unloaded and/or non-functioning firearm on public transit buses. Criminals routinely ignore the many gun laws on the books and gun free zone designations. By repealing this prohibition, it will ensure that law-abiding citizens are not forced to choose between utilizing public transportation and exercising their Second Amendment Rights.

Well, I was-sorta-close. But I was right that complications arose.


Austin developed infection after prostate cancer treatment

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Jan. 1 hospitalization was due to a urinary tract infection that developed after he underwent prostate cancer treatment on Dec. 22, doctors from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center said in a statement Tuesday.

The infection was cleared as of Tuesday and he is expected to make a full recovery, Dr. John Maddox, Walter Reed’s trauma medicine director, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, head of prostate cancer research, wrote.

“Secretary Austin continues to recover well and remains in good spirits.” Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said Tuesday during a briefing. “He’s in contact with his senior staff and has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor the [department’s] day to day operations worldwide.”

Austin’s team did not inform the White House or Congress about his condition or hospitalization for several days last week following his New Year’s Day return to Walter Reed.

On Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the White House was not informed that Austin had prostate cancer until earlier in the day and admitted that the lack of information from Austin was “not optimal.”

Looks Like the Georgia RICO Case Against Trump Just Imploded.

Co-incidental to her zeal for prosecuting front-running presidential candidate Donald Trump, Fulton County, Ga., DA Fani Willis hired herself a special prosecutor with benefits, according to a new court filing.

The motion alleges that Willis hired private attorney Nathan Wade to act as her special prosecutor in her vast, convoluted RICO case against Trump and 18 others who dared pursue legal remedies for what they believed was a compromised 2020 election. She did this despite having more than one attorney within her own office who was perfectly capable of prosecuting the case. And she did it despite Wade being unqualified to handle the biggest case in Fulton County history, as he has never actually prosecuted a felony RICO case before. So why would Willis hire him?

The alleged answer is that the married father of two was tapping the dirty DA. And this opens up a whole can of big, fat ethical and legal worms that are now squirming exuberantly atop Fanis’s prosecution house of cards.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the story Monday:

District Attorney Fani Willis improperly hired an alleged romantic partner to prosecute Donald Trump and financially benefited from their relationship, according to a court motion filed Monday which argued the criminal charges in the case were unconstitutional.

The bombshell public filing alleged that special prosecutor Nathan Wade, a private attorney, paid for lavish vacations he took with Willis using the Fulton County funds his law firm received. County records show that Wade, who has played a prominent role in the election interference case, has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022. The DA authorizes his compensation.

While the sexy bits alone are enough to disqualify both Willis and Wade from pursuing the case, the pair are alleged to have made plenty of other missteps in their power-mad pig-pile on the former president. For one thing, there was apparently improper coordination between the DA’s office and Joe Biden’s White House.

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The essence of constitutionalism in a democracy is not merely to shape and condition the nature of majorities, but also to stipulate that certain things are impermissible, no matter how large and fervent a majority might want them.
— George Will

The Supreme Court weighed in on that many 80 ago:
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette

The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials, and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.

1 person dead after shooting at business in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY —
One person is dead after a shooting at a business in Oklahoma City, police said.

On Monday, police responded to a business on Southwest 29th Street and South Kentucky Avenue. Officials said a man came into a business with a knife and threatened to kill the owner.

Authorities said the owner pulled out a gun and shot the man with the knife.

Another ‘Known to the F.B.I’

Israeli Airstrike Kills Senior Hezbollah Commander in Lebanon

According to Hezbollah officials in a statement on Telegram, an Israeli drone strike killed a top Hezbollah military commander on Monday morning near the town of Khirbet Selem in southern Lebanon. In their statement, Hezbollah named Wissam Hassan Tawil, known as “Al-Haj Jawad,” as the terrorist who was killed in the airstrike. Tawil was a commander of a unit in the Hezbollah forces called “Radwan,” which is an alleged special forces unit in the Hezbollah military. A state-run Lebanese news outlet named National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike killed two unnamed individuals in a vehicle.

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